What Does A Mentor Do?

Youth mentors play a remarkably important role in a young person’s life. Adult mentors provide support and stability for children that may not have either of those at home. During younger years a child’s development is crucial. Having a positive role model in their life helps their personal development blossom in a positive direction. These significant changes can impact education and behavioral patterns in children and adolescents that are struggling. By strengthening the next generation mentors can set them up for success as adults and foster a more positive outlook for the future..

Meet With Mentees

Mentors can do a variety of activities with their mentees. Mentors should take their mentees’ likes and dislikes into consideration when creating activity plans. Mentors meet with their mentees routinely to promote stability. Mentoring activities like getting ice cream, spending time outside together, seeing a movie, playing board games or sports are some options for mentors and mentees to do together. Both parties must enjoy the activity. Discussing what to do and coming to an agreement gives the mentor an opportunity to demonstrate collaboration and compromise..

Giving Advice To Mentees

Growing up is complicated and filled with questions. Navigating friendships and relationships can become stressful and a source of aggravation for young mentees. And with the stresses of figuring out who they are, processing challenges at home, adapting to school, and figuring out what they want to do after high school, , it’s a lot for young people to handle. This is putting it mildly. Lots of the kids we serve are facing issues many of us do not want to imagine.

Mentors can help them through their journey by advising them on how to handle situations in their social life. Mentors can help their mentees build self-esteem, develop social and life skills, focus on their education, learn about career paths, and life as a whole. A great way for mentors to help is to share their own life experiences along with providing information. Building a foundation of trust is based on connection. Real-life stories from their mentors will help mentees feel at ease and understand everyone goes through bumps in life.

Listen To Concerns

One of the most important jobs of a youth mentor is to simply listen. Venting without judgment can help adolescents process their emotions instead of bottling up or negatively dealing with them. Mentors should be one of the people their mentees can come to when they have a problem or simply need a safe space to discuss anything they find important. From small problems to big mentors should be willing to listen to their mentees when needed.

A Mentee Sounding Board

Mentoring is not about solving problems for the mentee. Instead, mentors provide a safe place for their mentees to discuss their problems to gain advice on how to solve it. In the real world, nobody is going to solve problems for them. It is crucial for mentees to learn at a young age how to work through problems, with a trusted friend or alone, and move forward in the right direction. A mentor can be a great sounding board for discussing possible solutions and potential consequences/outcomes.

Mentors Should Be Good Role Models

With social media, teens and children are more exposed to media that popularizes risky behaviors. Mentoring means showing children and adolescents they can be interesting and fun without engaging in behaviors that can get them in trouble. Or worse, affect their health and put their future at risk. Mentors show there are so many other great things about life and tons to experience that have nothing to do with risky behaviors. By starting young mentors can carve a proper path out for their mentees.

Start Mentoring Today With Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest

Mentoring is life-changing. Mentors have a role and opportunity to make a huge difference in children’s and adolescents’ lives. Many form life-long friendships with their mentees and help them after the program is over. Mentors can continue to go on in the program and help many children who need a positive supportive adult in their lives. Use your experience to provide a helping hand to a child in need by becoming a youth mentor in tone of our programs. Learn more by checking our Programs.

Make a BIG difference today!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest is a 501C3 organization. Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.